A candidate for Illinois Comptroller has sued the state for allowing an atheist group to post a sign alongside the religious holiday displays in the State Capitol. William Kelly, a Republican, claims Capitol Police unjustly “detained (him) and escorted him from the building” because he turned the atheists’ sign face down. Kelly calls the sign “hate speech.
Kelly’s federal complaint against the Illinois Secretary of State claims: “In December 2009, a sign was placed in the Capitol Building, approved by the Defendant, that read as follows:
“At the time of the winter solstice, let reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is just a myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.”
Kelly’s complaint does not object to the several holiday displays “celebrating various observances” in the State Capitol. He objects only to the atheists’ sign, which, he says, stood near a Nativity scene and next to a decorated Christmas tree.
Kelly claims that for the two weeks the sign was displayed, visitors, including young children, could get the impression that the sign is “endorsed” by the state as an “opposing view to the displays.”
Court House News: Politician Claims Atheist Sign Is ‘Hate Speech’
(via Religion News)
February 28, 2010 at 8:28 am
So silly. Freedom of speech etc., only important to promote your own weird belief system.
I have often considered that if we must include creation stories in biology books, than we must also include things like the scientology creation story, Buddhist creation story, theosophist creation story, and on and on.
I think the kids would better off for it, actually. Especially the Buddhist creation story of devoloving through formless realms into the flesh, and all occurring through the creative power of Mind.
Throw the damned Eden story for a loop!
February 28, 2010 at 8:31 am
Damn misspellings rampant. BTW, great blog. Don’t change a thing.